


Love Like Harlow Gold

by 1f_this_be_madness



Category: Queen (Band)
Genre: 1970s Era Queen (Band), Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst, Band Fic, Banter, Brian May is a nerd, Crack Treated Seriously, Crying, Declarations Of Love, Drinking, Epic Friendship, Friendship, Gen, Hot Space Era, Nicknames, One Shot, Platonic Brian May/Roger Taylor, Roger Taylor (Queen) Is a Good Friend, Singing, Starts in the seventies and finishes in '81, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-28
Updated: 2019-12-28
Packaged: 2021-02-24 21:20:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22004614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1f_this_be_madness/pseuds/1f_this_be_madness
Summary: Roger thinks the world of Brian, no matter what happens to them. And Brian feels the same. There are simply tough spots that occur sometimes, and people need to be reminded how much they mean.(Or, in 1981 there's a big new song playing on the radio that neither Brian nor Roger can keep out of his head.)
Relationships: Brian May & Roger Taylor, John Deacon & Brian May, John Deacon & Brian May & Freddie Mercury & Roger Taylor, John Deacon & Roger Taylor
Comments: 6
Kudos: 43





	Love Like Harlow Gold

Roger calls Brian an angel. 

They've been performing and working hard and Bri's always doing good for and being kind to other people. It's fucking amazing, really, and Roger blurts it out one day. "Bri, you're a bloody angel."

Brian blushes bright red and doesn't know what to do. Tries to tell Rog he’s the angel, with that golden blond hair and those big blue eyes everybody swoons over.

Roger retorts "Honestly you're an angel because of how much you care about everything," and with a snort he adds "No, I'm a demon child or a blooming evil cherub. It's about who you are, not just how you look, you sot. Besides, you’ve got that halo of curls. With those big gauzy white costumes and your voice you look and sound like an angel. ...You've also played the ruddy harp, so there!"

Brian ducks his head and thanks Roger quietly. 

"Oh sod off, Brian, you're fucking welcome."

Which is when John walks by and blurts "You may not be an angel, Rog, but you do have angel eyes."

Brian heartily agrees. Roger blinks and shakes his head. Flustered by that compliment, he actually flushes as well.

***

It's years of them all together, plenty of endearments later, and Roger is sure everyone else has bloody forgotten about Brian being an angel, never mind his eyes. Forgotten about everything else too during the making of this ruddy album-- Bri isn't even a PART of it, and Roger himself has turned into a drum machine.

Eighties have begun with a bang.

They've been listening to the radio-- well Roger does when he's alone in his room after each lengthy day, when Freddie's gone off for his newest tryst or his next lavish party, and John's off either sulking or drinking or both. His liver is certainly going to have an issue with him at some point soon. Maybe then he'll piss off on the petulant songs and actually talk to Brian again. Right.

Brian isn't drinking except with Rog; he either shuts himself in his room or goes for walks around Montreux. Apparently he listens to the radio too; there is one song that's practically gone platinum already. Singer sounds a bit like Rod Stewart. Rog might think it was Rod--or himself if he hadn't known where he'd been forcibly locked for the past several bloody months.

_Her hair is Harlow gold, her lips are sweet surprise. Her hands are never cold, she's got Bette Davis eyes-- she'll turn the music on you. You won't have to think twice; she's pure as New York snow, she got Bette Davis eyes!_

_And she'll tease you, she'll unease you --all the better just to please you. She's precocious, and she knows just what it takes to make a pro blush. She's got Greta Garbo's standoff sighs, she's got Bette Davis eyes…_

***

They're together one night as usual, he and Bri. Though they don't talk too much after recording these days, mostly focus on drinking and letting out grunts or nodding a couple times to each other until one passes out or pops off to bed. 

But Brian has brought his guitar out on this particular night, and he strums it. Keeping his fingers limber, he mutters. For god knows what at this point, but Red remains at the studio in some desperate hope that he'll be called upon to use her. Useless, probably. The tall guitarist shakes his head, pushes back curls and curves his fingers over his acoustic. Plays various tunes and snatches of pieces-- a heavy riff has Roger nodding along. And then he goes into a slide, a familiar tune that's been on the radio a lot these past months.

But the words he sings are different.

"His hair's like sun and gold, his smile's a flash-- like Baily's beads on sight. His solos ne'er grow old, nor do Roger Taylor's eyes."

Those eyes widen and bulge as Roger is really truly listening now. Letting out a huff, almost a scoff, he is ready to open his mouth and say something to Brian--

"He'll tease you, and please you; knows just what to say to ease you-- he's precocious, and he knows just how to make a girl blush… There's no way I can disguise," Brian's voice grows soft and almost gravelly, as much as it can "...I love Roger Taylor's eyes."

Roger feels a lump stopping up his throat now. Bri is still an angel; his mate's voice is so clear and serious on each note, every word. He means all of them.

"When John writes songs to make my blood rush, when Freddie's out having all his times, I've still got--" Brian's voice cracks, wobbles. "Roger Taylor's eyes."

Roger, who had come to sit with Brian and do some drinking, that's all, damn it-- chokes on the alcohol he's just consumed. He swings his legs down off the side of the chair he had been slouched in and looks over at Brian, who is still playing this song, and now he's crying.

"All the boys, the world, it may think I'm so dry," Brian's face puckers as he clutches his guitar, useless in their band's music now, but still a part of him as Roger is-- he lets out a wet-sounding huff of breath and wipes desperately at his cheeks as he finishes "...but amidst it all, I still love Roger Taylor's eyes."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to these dear boys and their friendship
> 
> Thanks to Kim Carnes for her fantastic song "Bette Davis Eyes" that came out in '81. Her voice has always reminded me of a cross between that of Rod Stewart and Roger but feminine. This piece's title and the italicised lyrics are from her song.
> 
> *Baily's Beads are the rays of sunlight that one can see reflecting off the surface of the moon before it reaches totality.
> 
> Please let me know if you'd like this to continue. Comments are always appreciated <3


End file.
